Been, gone and WOW!

04 May 2012 - MATT GOUGH QUINTET
 Matt Gough - trumpet, f/horn, John Fleming - alto sax, Andy Bunting - keys, Nick Jurd - double bass & Ben Kane - drums blew an appreciative and typically responsive crowd right out of their seats with Matt's engaging, readily accessible and intelligent originals. In fact we had but one well disguised 'standard' all evening and all so excellently delivered with virtuosic musical wizardry across the piece. These young people deserve to be seen, you deserve to see them so catch them as soon as you can - check out www.mattgoughmusic.com for their gig list









06 April 2012 - GOGO PENGUIN


MASSIVE Mancunians, Gogo Penguin completely tore the JATPjazz house down! Melodic, Manic originals and heavily revised, yet recognisable takes utterly captivated an engaged and enthusuastic audience. Add to that the musical mastery of 
Chris Illingworth (piano), Grant Russell (double bass) and Rob Turner (drums) with their imaginative and fresh improvisational style and you will be in for an exciting evening  of rare and exquisite jazz and bass playing of such uniquity that your toes will curl BACK in the thrill. Do try and get to Gogo Penguin's next gig - and watch out for the masonry! 
www.gogopenguin.co.uk



23 March 2012 - STUART McCALLUM 
returned to JATPjazz to show-off his stunning new album DISTILLED and what a truly magnificent work it is - exquisite guitar, glorious strings and elegant percussion and a very tidy laptop - not to the liking of some but there aren't many stages or clubs that can afford, let alone accommodate 25 musicians, so licence should be freely given
to this lovely guy and his peerless ensemble : Stuart McCallum - guitar & electronica, Dave Walsh - drums and RNCM’s Prism String Quartet : Tom Crehan, Jake Phillips  - violins, Laura Feeney - viola & Tom Wilkes - cello 
 www.stuartmccallum.com


02 March 2012 - Rosie Brown
Rosie description as "jazz perhaps, but not as you know it" is a fine example of 'least said' for Rosie Brown - vocals, Jamil Sheriff - piano, Jamie Taylor - guitar, Frank Grime - bass and Caroline Boaden - drums wowed a great audience with Rosie's original material plus an eclectic selection of re-works of Mitchell and Baez classics to bring JATPjazz a memorable evening of vocal jazz with liberal sprinklings of the supreme talents of Miss Boaden and Messrs Sheriff, Taylor and Grime. Rosie is a true mistress of her craft - Beguiling!



24 February 2012 - John Etheridge's Trio North
John Etheridge is one of the finest contemporary guitarist around - and Man! did he prove it. A rather small, yet enthusiastically appreciative audience witnessed not only John's astounding technique but his wit, character and even twinkle toes and all rounded-off so perfectly with a jaw-dropping treatment of Jimi Hendrix. SUPERB!
www.johnetheridge.com www.jazz-cat.com


03 February 2012 - 2/3 of PARTIKEL drove up from London late Friday afternoon and  arrived by the skin of their teeth - which is what a rapturous and appreciative audience hung onto as they were swept along on a melodic jazz breaker of New York style dynamic with multiple African, Latin and even rock undercurrents. Oh Ye traditionalists that might worry about a trio with no piano - well fear not for Duncan Eagles - sax, Max Luthert - bass & Eric Ford - drums have everything covered with their rich, edgy and hooky compositions producing exhilarating full-bodied jazz - terrific on CD yet marvellously expanded even further, 'live'. These guys are carving a most intriguing and ground-breaking musical niche for themselves which really needs hearing live and then buy their albums - as did the JATPjazz faithful. In fact they probably broke our record. EXCELLENT JAAZZZZZ! Thus, with their pockets bulging with cripsy tenners, Duncan and Max returned straight back south to meet their Saturday morning commitments - surely such devotion to their cause deserves a hearing - check out www.partikel.co.uk for a gig near you.  



06 January 2012 Toby Greenwood's WE FREE KINGS were an absolute BLAST! and a near-record crowd. A simply BRILLIANT night - so good I completely forgot to get my solitary pint to wash down the orange+soda - driving you know
If you see these guys advertised, just go - not only will you will not be disappointed, you'll realise what a wealth of talent we have around these parts. 
Garry Jackson filled in for Richard Hammond who had a prior with a pantomime horse and Britain's tallest man. I'd have liked to watch Richard looking up to someone but then I'd have missed this peerless outfit.
Toby Greenwood - alto,tenor sax, Mark Chandler - flugelhorn, Kevin Holbrough - trombone, Jamil Sheriff - piano, Garry Jackson - bass & Dave Walsh - drums

16 December 2011 Nick Browne's "Somethin' Else"
 .. really were - I admit my laziness, but it's that simple - an excellent choice of name for a band and an excellent selection of fellow musicians. All still whippersnappers wrt "moi" but Man! can they play! The JATPjazz faithful had a treat and gave one back with their enthusiasm and rapport of almost unparalleled degree. Do get to see this band - their treatment of Cannonball Adderley is an absolute treat for the lug-holes, so don't delay
Nick Browne - alto, Kim Macari - trumpet, Riley Stone-Lonergan - tenor, tbc - piano, tbc - bass & old fiddlesticks himself Chief Steve Hanley - drums


02 December 2011 - Kim Macari Quartet
I believe I implied that Kim was the 'real deal' and made of tough stuff. Well trouper she is for despite a bout of flu requiring spending the week in bed, Kim blew her own socks off without batting an eyelid whilst entertaining the crowd, mid-tune, with her effusive charm. With the added delights of Riley Stone-Lonergan's bristling sax, the rock-solid bass of Max Sterling and the constantly chirruping and extraordinary percussion of Steve Hanley a rip-snorting evening of jazz came forth reassuring the audience that youth is not wasted on the young. TERRIFIC musicians, STORMING band - Do check them out soon before the bright lights lure them south.
 
04 November 2011 - Eyes Shut Tight
European Jazz Contest IV (2011) Finalists with Paul Baxter receiving a "Best Soloist" award in the process - EYES SHUT TIGHT were simply SUPERB! Unanimously wide grins from all the JATPJAzz Die-hards evidenced one of the premier JATPJazz gigs EVER! Educational committments and relative geography is limiting their performances at present but I strongly advise taking their gigs in if you get the chance - they are simply divine. Paul Baxter’s (b) rich compositions and effortless, glorious application - be it pizzicato or arco, provide sweeping landscapes for the sumptuous talents of rising piano star, Johnny
Tomlinson - with his seamless and dextrous transitions of mood, style and pace - and the percussive power, subtlety and intense tune of drum-ace Kristoffer Wright
A whole infintely greater than the sum of the parts!               www.paulbaxtermusic.com 

07 October 2011 - Sarah Bennett / Curt Shaw Quartet
mesmerised a fantastic audience with a terrific variety of jazz but Sarah's latin jazz in native tongue was probably the highlight of a great evening augmented with possibly lesser-known masterpieces from Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone
Sarah Bennett - vocals, Curt Shaw - guitar, Richard Keates - bass and Dave Hassell - drums


02 September 2011 - Brian Acton Quartet
well we had ample notice with Trashcan that a brilliant evening was in-store and a good season-opener crowd were thrilled with jazz inspired by the likes of Tom Waits to the American Songbook classics with a marvellous Chet Baker style. Little wonder then that Brian is quickly impressing his name and that of his excellent band on the jazz circuit. It has been said that Brian could sell snow to Eskimos. This I seriously doubt - he's far too HOT! DOOOO check this band out LIVE! PS! - Anyone want a glass of water??
Brian Acton - guitar, vocals
Atholl Ransome - sax, flute
Bruce Reid - d.bass 
Rob Turner - drums                                                                        www.brianacton.co.uk


15 July 2011 - Jazz Extra - Trashcan Collective
Well Brethren and Sistren, the bins of Bradford Irish Club had a PROPER rattlin'. If Bruce's compositions were insufficient in themselves - and they certainly are not! - the ubercool of a most welcome, yet unexpected guest in Brian Acton playing guitar, gloriously singing glorious American Songbook classics whilst simultaneously selling snow to a band of fur-clad (well it is Bradford?) Inuit a-front, the scintillating sax of RCM Alumnus, Dan Berry and the trinkling keys of Nick Fletcher certainly topped-off a wonderful evening of  multi-facetted jazz and a fitting season-closer. Can't wait for Brian's return on 2 September 2011

Brian Acton - guitar, voice
Dan Berry - tenor sax
Nick Fletcher - piano
Bruce  Reid - bass
Rob Turner - drums

01 July 2011 - Joel Purnell Quartet  
It's been too long since Joel graced the JATPJazz stage but he made-up for his absence with a belting array of originals and some awesome horn work. I swear the front-rowers pushed their chairs back a tad for fear of conflagration resulting from the fire and embers propelling from Joel's sax. Marvellously supported by the criminally under-appreciated talents of Jamil Sheriff, John Perry and Pete Turner who stepped in so late, he was 'on the dots' - but you wouldn't ave known. A belting evening of top quality jazz, it's great to see Joel plying some trade locally and long may it prevail 'cos he's a thoroughly nice chap to boot. I would politely suggest a natty line in Nomex currently on offer at good outfitters. 
Joel Purnell - sax
Jami Sherrif - piano
Pete Turner - bass
John Perry - drums
www.joelpurnell.com




03 June 2011 - Gary Boyle Qrt

Gary Boyle - guitar, Paul Birchall - keys, Bruce Reid - bass, Jonathan Hartley - drums

Mike Westbrook, Mike Gibbs, Soft Machine, Norma Winstone, Keith Tippet, Eddie Harris, Stomu Yamashta and Bert Jansch certainly were NOT wrong.
Gary, Paul, Bruce and Jonathan blew our jazz cobwebs right-off with a refreshing blast of fusion-tinged jazz, leaving the reformed 'rockers' with grins on their chops just like Gary's here to the right. Perhaps venturing where Angels fear to tread, Gary simply fluttered his wings at the likes of Chick Corea's Windows and Miles' Blue in Green with consumate mastery.. Toss in a spot of Hayabusha, Angola and Beast of Burden and even the impromptu Dobbin's Flowery Vale with Maggie Boyle and you have the Thomas More of Jazz - A Man for All Seasons.


  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWTe-cfNQkE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y4UjvZ4qkU&feature=related 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QVnz0ygaO0&NR=1


                                          HEAVENS TO MURGATROYD !!!! - this young woman is BRILLIANT - the whole piece is TOP DRAWER.Evidence of NYJO's output of excellent musicians and vocalists is amply proved in one example with Sarah. Perhaps it is because of Sarah's talents as instrumentalist (not that she employed these talents here) and vocalist that puts her in, possibly, a unique position for Sarah is one of an extremely small group of vocalists that can sing every number, yet still leave you with the feeling that you've had a terrific night of low down, dirty, instrumental jazz - such is her instinctive empathy for the guys behind her. I find it difficult to overpitch Sarah as a Jazz Vocalist, composer, arranger and leader - she really is all things to all (wo)men. I confess to some ambivalence where 'words' and jazz music coexist, but after the performance of Sarah, Dan, Garry and Dave at JATPJazz I do declare my education continues.
DO go and see Sarah if you get the chance (Friday 13 May @ Wakefield Jazz is your next opportunity round these parts) because the Sarah Ellen Hughes Quartet are right on the money.
Check-out www.sarahellenhughes.co.uk ... ....
Sarah Ellen Hughes- vocals, Dan Whieldon- piano, Garry Jackson - bass & Dave Walsh- drums



15 April 2011 - Jazz Extra - Matt Anderson Quartet
Jazz Yorkshire's Futures Selectee and JY Young Musician of the Year 2010, Matt Anderson - tenor sax, complete with Aubin Vanns - guitar  John Marley - bass and Sam Gardner - drums delivered two great sets of intelligent music which marvelously endorsed their growing reputation for musicianship and composition beyond their years, and again underlining what a great teaching establishment we are privileged to have right on our doorstep in Ledds College of Music - and not content with that alone, helped us celebrate Chairman Steve's 70 th Birthday. - and can students eat?!?!??
Check-out www.matt-anderson.org.uk for up-coming gigs not to be missed


01 April 2011 - MAGIC HAT ENSEMBLE  kicked-off their latest 28-date UK tour and launched their terrific second album, Made In Gorton, at Bradford Irish Club.
Steve Chadwick - tr, Tony Ormesher - g, Andrzej Baranek - p, Nick Blacka - b, & Rob Turner - d, delivered a truly electric show of their rhythm-reoriented standards with the odd surprising interjection of slower numbers - and what a treat they all were. MHE continue to develop and demonstrate their extraordinary cohesion - they really are one of the most enjoyable bands to listen to and watch and they connect very well with the audience also. So for all you lucky jazz fans out there, yet to witness the thrill of MHE, do check out their website for a date near you soon. You will be most pleasantly surprised and refreshed
www.themagichatensemble.co.uk
www.jellymouldjazz.net/magichat.html 
www.myspace.com/themagichatensemble



04 March 2011 - JJ Wheeler Quintet

flying in the face of the seemingly current conventional wisdom that a UK education ain't worth 'zip' are JJ (Whiskers) Wheeler (d), Charlie (wassup Doc) Portas (ts), Chris (fingers) Maddock (as), Ralph (Donny Boy) Brown (kbs) & Tom (Grandson of Roger ??) Moore (b) =  the JJ Wheeler Quintet. Still completing their studies at Birmingham Conservatoire (with Chris Maddock still not in his final year!?!?), JJ and his pals delivered a stream of marvellous originals accompanied by the odd rearrangement of the non-standard in a manner quite beyond their years. Simply Thrilling! particularly  JJ's homage to the sadly late, yet ever-great Tony Levin, 'Flicking Paint' is a most fitting testimony to Tony's educational legacy - close your eyes and see if Tubby Hayes doesn't strut into your mind's eye - if not, try £pec£aver£ - and 'The life of Cider Mickey'. To those still pondering whether to attend the remaining gigs of the JJ Wheeler Quintet tour, I strongly urge you to think no further - just do it 'cos it's only going to get dearer to see these 'brilliant blooms' of  UK Education. Exceedingly well done to parents, Birmingham Con and these super-talented young guys. Further bucking the current ethos that all teenagers are 'oyks' is the fact that all these guys are such genuine and personable young men - your heart will be warmed even further ....


www.jjwheeler.co.uk 


04 February 2011 - Phil Meadows Quartet

First time at JATP, Phil Meadows Quartet [Andrzej Baranek (p), Max Sterling (b) and Rob Turner (d)] totally blew our socks off - REALLY SERIOUSLY GOOD MAN!  50/50 originals and 'standards', the latter being re-arranged almost out of sight, yet so engaging nevertheless - the former belying Phil's tender years but not his imperious talents as musician and composer nor those of his undoubtedly talented band-mates. The Great BB commented afterwards that it's not often you get a rhythm section so talented and together that they occasionally 'obscure' a pianist of Andrzej's ability. An absolute wang-dang-doodle of a jazz night with a brilliant audience to boot whom I feel sure will join me in thoroughly recommending the Phil Meadow's Quartet to provide an EXCEPTIONAL Jazz night, Anywhere!



07 January 2011 - Jamie Taylor's Java
 

Like the consumate professional he is, internationally renowned guitarist Jamie Taylor arose from his 'man'-flu bed, snorted two long lines of Beecham's All-in-one (other flu remedies are available) and with Jamil Sheriff (p), Gary Jackson (b) and Caroline Boaden (d) thrilled a weather-affected audience of die-hards with jazz of the highest order and no little humour. Sets comprised mainly Jamie's own material with the odd 'unusual', yet most interestingly re-arranged standards. Do catch these folks if you can for top quality jazz
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